CAD FREE CAD Agile Planning and Estimation Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A development team consistently underestimates stories by 30-40%. Which technique would BEST help them improve estimation accuracy over time?
- Track velocity trends and use historical data to calibrate future estimates (Correct answer)
- Assign estimation responsibility to the most senior developer only
- Double all estimates to create a safety buffer
- Replace story points with exact hour-based estimates
Correct answer: Track velocity trends and use historical data to calibrate future estimates
Tracking velocity trends allows the team to use empirical data to adjust and calibrate their estimates, improving accuracy iteratively.
Question 2: During sprint planning, the Product Owner introduces a story that no team member has experience with. What is the MOST appropriate estimation approach?
- Skip estimating and commit to it anyway
- Use Planning Poker and discuss assumptions before converging on an estimate (Correct answer)
- Assign the highest possible point value automatically
- Defer the story indefinitely until an expert joins the team
Correct answer: Use Planning Poker and discuss assumptions before converging on an estimate
Planning Poker encourages discussion of unknowns and assumptions, helping the team arrive at a reasonable estimate even for unfamiliar work.
Question 3: What is the PRIMARY purpose of a release burndown chart in agile planning?
- To track individual developer productivity metrics
- To visualize remaining work across multiple sprints toward a release goal (Correct answer)
- To replace the need for sprint retrospectives
- To assign blame for missed deadlines
Correct answer: To visualize remaining work across multiple sprints toward a release goal
A release burndown chart shows how much scope remains across sprints, helping stakeholders track progress toward a release target.
Question 4: A team uses T-shirt sizing (XS, S, M, L, XL) for initial backlog estimation. What is the MAIN advantage of this approach?
- It provides exact time estimates for project scheduling
- It allows quick relative sizing of a large number of items without detailed analysis (Correct answer)
- It eliminates the need for sprint planning entirely
- It guarantees accurate delivery dates for stakeholders
Correct answer: It allows quick relative sizing of a large number of items without detailed analysis
T-shirt sizing enables rapid relative comparison of backlog items, making it ideal for roadmap-level planning where precision is unnecessary.
Question 5: In agile estimation, what does the concept of 'yesterday's weather' refer to?
- Using the previous sprint's actual velocity as the forecast for the next sprint (Correct answer)
- Reviewing past project failures to avoid repeating mistakes
- Checking external market conditions before planning
- Adjusting estimates based on team member mood
Correct answer: Using the previous sprint's actual velocity as the forecast for the next sprint
Yesterday's weather uses the team's most recent actual velocity as the simplest and most reliable predictor for the upcoming sprint's capacity.
Question 6: When should a team consider re-estimating previously sized product backlog items?
- Every sprint regardless of changes
- Only when the Scrum Master requests it
- When significant new information emerges that changes the team's understanding of complexity (Correct answer)
- Never, because estimates should remain fixed once assigned
Correct answer: When significant new information emerges that changes the team's understanding of complexity
Re-estimation is warranted when new information materially changes the understood complexity, effort, or risk of a backlog item.
CAD FREE CAD Agile Planning and Estimation Questions and Answers 2
A development team consistently underestimates stories by 30-40%.
Which technique would BEST help them improve estimation accuracy over time?